Running for Rick

An annual race is held in memory of Rick Maypother, a Sterling firefighter and fire safety educator, who often visited classrooms to talk about fire safety.
File photo The third annual Rick Maypother Memorial 5K Road Race and Family Fun Walk will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13 in conjunction with the Public Safety Open House at the Sterling Fire Station from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Maypother Memorial 5K will start at 9:30 am behind the fire station. Proceeds will benefit Give. Love.Fight. (GLF), the foundation started in Maypother’s memory after he died in October 2009. The foundation has grown and evolved into an organization that raises money to provide financial assistance to those in the community in need.

Maypother died just days before the first Memorial 5K was held, and as a result it was almost cancelled.

“It was after consulting with Rick’s family and friends involved with the events that we all felt strongly about continuing the race in his honor,” said one of Maypother’s closest friends and fellow firefighter Tom Kokernak, who serves on the GLF Board of Directors. “The race proved to be an incredible event, an absolutely amazing tribute to his memory.”

To date there are 30 people registered for this year’s 5K, but Kokernak said they are hoping for around 100, the same number as last year. The first year they were hoping for around 75 runners, but they ended up with well over 200. They are hoping to raise $2,000 for Give.Love.Fight.

“Rick was someone who always gave of himself,” Kokernak said. “He taught me how important it is that we do that for each other. Give.Love.Fight. is something that enables me to follow that example.’’

Kokernak and a number of other Sterling Fire Department staff members run the race each year with their fire helmets on, a tribute to Maypother.

“The first road race was a very powerful experience for me,” he said. “We all were wrapped up in the emotion that came with Rick’s passing that year but the energy associated with that event was just so incredibly positive during such a dark time that it really drove home how important everything we were doing was. The people that come together for this event are amazing and it is such a great way for us to remember Rick while renewing our strength to help give back to the community.” Scheduling the annual Maypother Memorial 5K the same day as the annual Public Safety Open House holds great significance: Maypother was not only a very active member of the community, coaching many sports teams, but he was also a long-standing volunteer firefighter at the Sterling Fire Department who visited the preschool and schools in town as the fire safety educator.

“Rick’s role within the fire department was to educate kids and other members of the community about how to prevent fires and be prepared for emergencies, and our annual fire safety programs are launched every year during Fire Prevention Week at the Public Safety Open House,” Kokernak said. “Fire Prevention Week and [the Public Safety] Open House represents all that Rick valued as a fire safety educator so it is only fitting that we choose this day to host an event in his memory.”